Suction cleaner nozzle adjustment and converter guide



Nbv. 4, 1952 1 W. A. HUMPHREY suc'rIoN gamma NOZZLE ADJUSTMENT ANDCONVERTER GUIDE Original Filed Sept. 16, 1944 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 mapnun Inyen for Marv? fl/fzmz rqy NOV. 4, 1952 w, HUMPHREY 2,616,116

SUCTION CLEANER NOZZLE ADJUSTMENT AND CONVERTER GUIDE Original FiledSept. 16, l944 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 J}? U??? for liar/"e21 .i. dw vrg W2444444 per se;

Patented Nov. 4, 1952 SUCTION CLEANER NOZZLE ADJUSTMENT AND CONVERTERGUIDE Warren A. Humphrey, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company,North Canton, hio,'a

corporation of Ohio Original application September 16, 1944, Serial No.554,379, now Patent No. 2,517,670, dated August 8, 1950. Divided andthis application May 21, 1948, Serial No. 28,475

' cleaning.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and moreparticularly to a new and novel construction for converting the cleanerfrom an on-the-floor unit to an off-the-fioor unit.

. It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improvedsuction cleaner. Another object of the invention is to provide new andimproved conversion means in a suction cleaner for converting fromon-the-floor to offthe -floor cleaning. A further object is to provide aconstruction for raising the nozzle into an inoperative position bymoving a converter port cover to its open position to receive aconverter for off-the-fioor cleaning. These and other more specificobjects will appear upon reading the following specification and claimsand upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings towhich they relate.

Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a cleaner constructed inaccordance with the present invention in its on-the-floor cleaningrelationship;

' Figure 2 is a side view of the cleaner illustrated i'nFigure 1 withthe dusting tool converter inserted, the nozzle raised to inoperativeposition, and the machine in its off-the-fioor cleaning relationship;

' Figure 3 is a section upon the line 33 of Figure 1;

'Figure 4 is a top viewof the converter element .per'se; 1

; Figure5 is a side view of the converter element Figure 6 is a sectionthrough the converter element upon the section 6-6 of Figure 5;

' Figure 7 is a partial top view of the removable bottom plate of theair passageway connecting the nozzle with the suction-creating fan;Figure 8 is a section upon the line 8-8 of Fig.-

ure 7. v I

Today the modern suction cleaner must be designed forthe cleaning offloor coverings and also for. the cleaning of articles positionedthereabove. 'A,preferred type of s' 'ction cleaner to which thisinvention relates is provided with a permanent floor-clear'iing nozzlewhich, in the on-the-floor jcle'aning operation, moves-atall times inopera- 're e im w h h arantees 1 .1.-

5 Claims. (Cl:- 15-333) dergoing cleaning. The machine is adapted to bepropelled by the operator through the exertion of a force upon thecleaner handle and the entrance of cleaning air into the nozzle, incooperation with the agitation function performed by the agitatorpositioned therein, dislodges and removes the foreign material from thesurface covering undergoing cleaning. In order to clean the articlespositioned at a level higher than the floor the machine is adapted to beconverted into an oii-the-fioor cleaner by the insertion of a converterelement. In accordance with the present invention this converter elementis inserted easily and readily into a normally covered aperture in thetop front wall of the cleaner nozzle. Through this Wall the converterelement extends rearwardly to contact the contoured walls of the airpassageway connecting the nozzle with the fan chamber to make sealingcontact therewith in order to prevent substantially all air flow fromthe nozzle to the fan chamber. The arrangement is such that the beltconnecting the motor shaft with the agitator in the nozzle continues todrive the agitator. However, the nozzle end of the machine having beenraised by the movement of the port closure to open position, theagitator rotates out of contact with the surface covering positiontherebelow. The construction is simple and is easily operated.

Referring to the drawings a suction cleaner constructed in accordancewith the present invention is illustrated in Figure 1 in its on-thefloorcleaning relationship. The cleaner body is ,seen to comprise a nozzle Iwhich is interiorly connected by an air passageway 2, including aremovable bottom pi'ate 3, to the eye 4 of the fan chamberB. Nozzle I isprovided with surfaceelectric light i4 is provided Within the housing 13and is. positioned adjacent a window [6 that light rays may bedirected'over the cleaner nozzle I and forward ofthe machine in orderthat the operator can betterseefthesurface covering to be cleaned, f f

' Within the nozzle I, and directly above the mouth as' defined bythesurface-contacting lips l and'8, j is.a'rotary agitator I! whichincludes 3 suitable surface-contacting elements of the rigid beater andflexible brush types. Agitator I1 is connected by means of ,apower-transmitting belt I8 to a pulley I9 at' the lowermost end of themotor shaft II and the agitator rotates at all times upon the rotationof the motor shaft, II and the fan 9. Agitator I'I functions todislodge, by brushing and beating, all {foreign .materialpositionedwithin a surface covering contacted by the nozzle lips I and 8.

The cleaner is movablysupported:upQnffont and rear wheels 2| and 22, theformer being mounted upon the extremities of acrank shaft 23 pivotallymounted in the cleaner casing and extends across the interior of the airpassageway 2 immediately forward of the front of the. fan chamber 6. Apivoted handle through which the operator can exert a propelling forceisprovidlad, the lower extremity thereof being shown in Figure 1, andbeing indicated by the reference character 26.. A filter bag 21v isremovably attached to the rear of the cleaner bodyin such position as toreceive interiorly the. dirt-laden air stream from the nozzle I which isexhausted by the suction-creating fan 9 after passing through the fanchamber 6.

With the cleaner functioning as an on-thefloor cleaner the parts. are.arranged as illustrated in Figure l. The motor shaft II rotates, therebydriving the suction-creating fan 9 and the agitator II. Cleaning air isdrawn into the nozzle, the surface covering is lifted into contact withthe lips I and 8 and is thereupon contacted by the rotating agitator IT.The agitator dislocates the foreign material and the moving air streamcarries it through the air passageway 2, into the fan chamber-6,andexhausts it into the filter bag 21.

To transform themachine intoan off-thefioor cleaner certain additionalconstructional features are provided. In the ofi-the-floor cleaningoperation a dustin tool unitof well known design comprising a longflexible hose is connected to the cleaner by means of a converterelement; the hose carrying at its outer end a second cleaning nozzle offany common type which the operator moves aboutand' over theobjectto becleaned. This general'relationship is well known. The converter element3| is illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6'and is seen to comprise afiattenedma-in portion having a substantially rectangular cross-section.Atone end the main body portionis provided with a hose-seating portion32- which is preferably cylindrical and on which the dusting tool hoseis retained in any suitable manner. At its opposite. end the main bodyportion is seen to be somewhat scooplike in form, the top wall endingfar back of the lower wall at 33; while the side and bottom walls extendtherebeyond, the extreme forward end of the bottom wall being slantedupwardly at 34 to provide an abutting base and also beingcut-out at 36in order to extend around and more closely to the motor shaft I I aswill become apparent. The converter element is also provided with apivoted retaining latch 31 upon its surface which has a hooked forwardend, as indicated at 38.

To receive and seat-the. dusting tool converter element the cleanerproper is provided. with a converter port4I in the front top wall of thenozzle I whichport is normally, closed by acover or closure, plate 42,pivoted at 43 and held by means of an overcenter spring 44, in eitherthe 4 closed position of Figure 1 or the open position of Figure 2.

A converter casing 45 extends inwardly from the port 4| through the;nozzle l andinto the air passageway 2 extending adjacent and below theforward portion of the fan chamber 6. Casing 46 is of a size adapted tomake a sliding sealing fit; about themain portion of the converterelement 3 I and to guide that element, when inserted through the port 4]in the manner illustrated in Figure 2, rearwardly and downwardly to apoint at which the forward end 34 thereof is positioned with cut-outportion 36 closely enclosing the drive shaft II.

Toreceive and seat the forward lower end of the converter element 3| andto cooperate therewith in substantially sealing the air passagewayandso. the nozzle I from the eye 4 of the fan chamber 6 the bottom wall3 of the air passage- Way.2 is contoured adjacent the shaft, I I asillustrated in Figures 7 and8. I

A raised transversely extending, platform at each side of the drivingpulley I9 andjfo'rmed in the bottomplate 3 seats andrcooperateswith theforward portion 34 of the converter 31 to form a substantial sealexcepting only leakage around the pulley. The bottom wall curves closelyabout the lower end of the shaft II, as does the forward end of theconverter at 36, and the cooperative relationship is such that with theconverterelement in place a substantial sealwith but slight leakag isprovided, it beingnotedthat adjacent the fan eye andat the line. atwhich the converter element seats upon the bottom plate that plate has awidth which is adapteito closely enclose the side walls of, theconverter element. v

Upon conversion to off-the-floor cleaning the cleaner may remain foraconsidlerable. periqd of time in asingle place upon the surfacecovering. Under such conditions it. is desirablethat the cleaner nozzlebelifted. out of contact with the covering. Toaccomplish this resultinthe cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention thepivoted closure plate Misconnected' by a linkage with. the crank sl' aft2 3 which carries the front wheels 2 I. clearly illustrated in Figures1' and 2 a pivoted link 51 is carried by the closure. plate [Land isadapted to move upwardly through a second aperturexfl in the. top wallofthe nozzle. when th platejz' is pivoted'toits open position, asillustrated in Figure 2. The lower end of link 5| slidingl'y errc losesa pivot pin 54 carried by a bracket 53 nonrotatably' fixed upon thecentral portion ofthe crankshaft 23, The crank shaftisv at alli timesspring urged to raise the wheels and to lower the nozzle by a coilspring 56. Upon the operator pivotally moving the closure plate 42toitsopen position, as illustrated in Figure 2, the l'i'nlgt lpi'votsthe bracket 53 which thereupon turns the centralportion of thecrank shaft; 23 thereby pivoting the wheels 2I downwardly, against'theforce of spring 56, andsoraisesthe nozzle. With the closure plate 42inthe closed positiom as illustrated in Figure l, the link 51 and bracket53 extend into the unused converter casing; 46 he bit c emi ine ac h sre plate 42; moved to the open position, as illustrated inFigure 2, the.linkage isspaeed above the converter casing 4.6:which is thenopen totheconverter element. The latter retained in place by the cooperation ofthehooked end 3,8iof the latch}? with anabutinent 39.130fiiti'onedripdh thenozzle wall. To prevent air leakage weaver plate 42 is provided with airseals at 51 which contact the boundaries of the apertures 4| and 52 withthe closure plate in closed position.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner of the type having a body including a nozzle,suction-creating means, and an air passageway connecting said nozzle andsuction-creating means; an opening in the top wall of the nozzle forreceiving a converter, a movable closure for said opening, means forsupporting the nozzle relative to a supporting surface and having aportion of said means extending through the air passageway, linkagemeans for connecting said closure to said supporting means, and a casingin the air passageway for receiving a converter, said linkage means whensaid closure is in its closed position having a portion disposed in saidcasing, movement of said closure to its open position shifting saidportion of said linkage means out of said casing to permit insertion ofthe converter in said casing for connection With the suction-creatingmeans and effecting movement of said supporting means relative to thenozzle for raising the latter with respect to the supporting surface.

2. In a suction cleaner of the type having a body including a nozzle,suction-creating means, and an air passageway connecting said nozzle andsuction-creating means; an opening in the top wall of the nozzle forreceiving a converter, a movable closure for said opening, spaced wheelssupporting said nozzle on a supporting surface, a crank shaft carryingsaid wheels and having a portion extending through said air passageway,linkage means connecting said closure to said crank shaft, and a casingin the air passageway for receiving a converter, said linkage means whensaid closure is in its closed position having a portion disposed in saidcasing, movement of said closure to its open position shifting saidportion of said linkage means out of said casing to permit insertion ofthe converter in said casing for connection with the suction-creatingmeans and actuating said linkage means and crank shaft to move saidwheels relative to the nozzle to raise the latter from the supportingsurface.

3. A suction cleaner comprising a body including a nozzle, suctioncreating means, and an air passageway between said nozzle and saidsuction creating means, a port in the top wall of said nozzle forreceiving a converter, a closure for said port, means pivotally mountingsaid closure on said body for movement from closed position to an openposition exteriorly of said air passageway, a pair of wheels supportingsaid nozzle with respect to a supporting surface, a crank shaft for saidwheels and movably mounted on said body, linkage means connecting saidclosure to said crank shaft for movement of the latter upon saidmovement of said closure to its open and closed positions, movement ofsaid closure to its said open position exteriorly of said air passagewayoperating said linkage means and crank shaft to move said wheels withrespect to said body to raise said nozzle from the supporting surfacefor ofE-the-floor cleaning, said closure when in said open positionuncovering said port for free insertion of a converter into said airpassageway in communication with said suction creating means, andover-center spring means connected to said closure with respect to saidclosure pivot independently of said linkage means for maintaining saidclosure in its said open position and thus said wheels and nozzle insaid position for oif-the-fioor cleaning.

4. In a suction cleaner of the type having a body including a nozzle, afan chamber having a fan eye, a suction air passageway between saidnozzle and fan eye, a vertical motor shaft extended through said fan eyeinto said air passageway, a fan on said shaft in said chamber, a pulleyon said shaft in said air passageway and spaced from said fan eye, anagitator rotatably mounted in said nozzle, and a belt in said airpassageway connecting said agitator and pulley; a port in the top wallof said nozzle above said agitator for receiving a converter, a closuremovably mounted on said body for said port, a converter guide in saidair passageway above said belt and said agitator and defining a guidingpath for the converter from said port toward said fan eye above saidpulley, wheel supporting means movably mounted on said body forsupporting said nozzle with respect to a surface, means connecting saidclosure to said wheel supporting means for movement of the latter bysaid closure, movement of said closure to its open position actuatingsaid wheel supporting means to raise said nozzle above the surface, saidclosure when in its open position uncovering said port and converterguide for inserting the converter, said guide directing the converterabove said belt and pulley into communication with said fan eye.

5. In a suction cleaner of the type having a body including a nozzle, afan chamber having a fan eye, a suction air passageway between saidnozzle and fan eye, a motor driving a fan in said chamber and a pulleyin said air passageway, an agitator rotatably mounted in said nozzle anda belt in said passageway connecting said agitator and pulley; a port inthe top wall of said nozzle above said agitator for receiving aconverter, a closure movably mounted on said body for said port, aconverter guide in said air passageway above said belt and said agitatorto define a guiding path for the converter from said port to said faneye above said pulley, spaced wheels supporting said nozzle and agitatorwith respect to a surface, a crank shaft carrying said wheels and havinga portion extending through said air passageway, linkage means in saidair passageway connecting said closure to said crank shaft, movement ofsaid closure to its open position actuating said linkage means and crankshaft to move said wheels downwardly to raise said nozzle and agitatorabove the surface, said closure when in its open position uncoveringsaid port and converter guide for inserting the converter, said guidedirecting the converter above said belt into communication with said faneye.

WARREN A. HUMPHREY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,024,260 White Dec. 17, 19352,094,126 Kitto Sept. 28, 1937 2,143,018 Kitto Jan. 10, 1939 2,174,595Pierce Oct. 3, 1939 2,416,786 White Mar. 4, 1947

